Fresh Fruit Bruschetta

Okay, I'll admit it. I haven't actually made this recipe. I just found it online and I already know that I'll love it. Very fruity and spring-y. Here's the link to the recipe with pictures and all. I'll post directions here too.

Fresh Fruit Bruschetta with Orange-Honey Cream
Recipe by Our Best Bites
1 baguette or similar-sized French bread loaf
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1-1/2 C diced strawberries (about 10 medium strawberries)
1 C finely diced mango (about 1 medium mango) (I really hate mango, so I think I'll opt for raspberries or maybe bananas instead)
1 C finely diced kiwi (about 3 kiwi)

1/2 C Breakstone's Sour Cream
3 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp orange zest

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice bread into 1/2 inch slices. Place in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Use a pastry brush to brush each piece with melted butter. Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle evenly over bread slices. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are toasted. Set aside to cool.

While bread is toasting, combine Breakstone's Sour Cream, honey, and orange zest. Stir to combine and place in the fridge.

Combine strawberries, mango, and kiwi and stir gently to combine. When bread is cooled, place about 1 Tbsp. of fruit mixture on top of each toasted bread slice and drizzle with sweet sour cream mixture. If needed, thin sour cream sauce with 1/2-1 tsp orange juice. Garnish with mint leaves if desired. Serve immediately.

Elise's Amazing Cinnamon Rolls

This is my favorite recipe of all time. It's so much fun to make (better to make with a friend :) and super great to eat. They are ever so fattening and ever so delightful. :)

Without further ado,

Elise's Amazing Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

• 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast Note: AKA 1 Tablespoon (This is helpful to know if your roommate stores large quantities of yeast in a Tupperware container in your fridge like mine does)
• 2 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1 (9 ounce) package yellow cake mix (I don't ever find 9 ounce packages, I find 18.5 ounce packages. So I use half the box, and then you have an easy excuse to make the cinnamon rolls again soon!)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (I just dump some in, I like vanilla)
• 5 cups all-purpose flour (Use a good mixer. I have burnt out the motor in 3 different mixers with this recipe. Now, I leave it to the Bosch to do the dirty work.)
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon (What's the best part of a cinnamon roll? That'd be the cinnamon. Don't limit yourself to 4 teaspoons... I'm just sayin')
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tablespoons milk
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• Directions

1. Put water and yeast into your mixing bowl. Let them stand for about 10 minutes until the yeast is dissolved and the mixture is creamy.
2. In the same bowl, add the cake mix, salt, and vanilla to the yeast mixture; stir well to combine. Stir in the flour; beat well. Cover bowl and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
3. Deflate dough and turn it out onto a well floured surface. (I've found that powdered sugar mixed in with the flour on your 'surface' is a brilliant idea. Just don't use too much or you'll end up with a really sticky mess.) Roll dough out into a rectangle and spread with butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Roll up dough and cut into 3/4 inch thick rolls. Place rolls in two 9x13 inch glass baking pans. (You can just grease the pans with Pam, but I prefer to pour the extra melted butter into the bottom and sprinkle some cinnamon sugar over that. Then, the bottoms of your cinnamon rolls caramelize) Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
5. Bake rolls for 15 to 20 minutes. (Much closer to 15 than 20) While rolls are baking, prepare the frosting. In a medium bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar, 1/3 cup butter, vanilla and milk. Let rolls cool slightly then spread with frosting.

Gringo Chili

I just got back from a weekend camping trip in Moab. Just because Moab is in Southern Utah does not mean it is warm year-round...it was snowy and freezing! Luckily we took some tasty homemade chili to keep us nice and toasty.

I spent the summer making chili once a week for 200 kids, and I don't think I ever made the exact same recipe. I usually just add whatever I have on hand (I will even admit to transforming leftover spaghetti sauce into chili), and somehow it always turns out amazing.

Here's an easy and delicious chili recipe I've used quite a bit. It always gets raving reviews.

Ingredients
2 tsp butter
1/2 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 lb ground beef (coarse grind)
3 Tbsp ground red chile (hot or mild...or a combination of the two)
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans tomato soup
1 can onion soup
2 (16 oz) cans kidney beans

Directions
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it's translucent.

Add the meat, chile, oregano, cumin, and garlic. Cook over medium heat until meat is evenly browned.

Stir in the tomato soup, onion soup, and beans. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes until the liquids cook down and the mixture thickens.

Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, fritos, or anything else your heart desires.

*Chili variations - 

• Add 1/4 cup any flavor salsa for an extra kick. 
• Add 1/2 Tbsp cayenne pepper if you like it spicy. 
• Use a combination of 1 can kidney beans and 1 can pinto or black beans for some variety. 
• Umm...that's all I can think of right now, but the options are endless! Add a can of corn, more seasonings if you think it's too bland, or anything else you think would be tasty. 

Calzones

This is a super quick and easy one. I think I learned how to make it in a foods class in high school. (Proof that public education is actually teaching children important life skills!)

Ingredients:
Pillsbury frozen dinner roll dough, defrosted (1-2 per person)
Pizza sauce
Cheese
Pizza toppings

Directions:
1. Flatten each ball of dough. Spread a small spoonful of sauce in the middle of the dough.
2. On half of the dough surface, place desired pizza toppings. Fold dough over to make a pizza pocket and pinch dough together around the edges.
3. Bake on a cookie sheet at 375 for 20-25 minutes (or until golden brown).

Chocoroni & Cheese

I got this recipe from a friend. It sounds gross but is surprisingly delicious! Just as a side note, this recipe is a work in progress. So, when you make it, let me know if there are any improvements you can think of.

2 cups elbow macaroni noodles cooked and cooled

1/2 cup butter

1 8oz. package cream cheese

1 cup sugar

1/2 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 T. vanilla

1/3 cup Nutella

While macaroni noodles are cooling in the fridge, melt butter and cream cheese over medium heat in a sauce pan. Add sugar, chocolate chips, and vanilla stirring constantly. Once you reach desired consistency, remove from heat.

Layer the cooled noodles in a glass baking dish, pour the chocolate mixture evenly over the top of the noodles and chill in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.

Melt the Nutella and drizzle over the top. You can also top with fresh raspberries or strawberries. (Or anything you like.)

Crumbly Chicken

This recipe comes from my dear friend, April. This is one of the easiest recipes ever and I absolutely love it!

Crumbly Chicken

6-8 thawed chicken breasts

Mayo

1 bag of Sour Cream & Onion chips

Bascially, you crumble 3/4 of the bag of chips into a large bowl. Coat each individual chicken breast with mayo and then cover entirely with the chip crumbs. Put the chicken in a glass baking dish and bake at 375 for 40-50 minutes or until juices run clear.

It's also really good with honey mustard sauce on top. Just make a basic white sauce and add honey mustard to taste.

Thai Style Chicken

This recipe is also from my Taste of Home cookbook. (Sidenote...I wouldn't recommend this cookbook. It has tons of good recipes, but the index is horrible and makes it impossible to find what you want.) I liked this one because it's very flavorful and citrus-y. Plus each serving (1 chicken breast half) is only 134 calories! Can't beat that. I made a couple of very minor changes to the original recipe because I thought the lemon flavor was a little bit over-the-top. The changes are in italics next to the original recipe.

Ingredients:

1/4 c reduced-sodium soy sauce

3 T lemon juice (the juice from one lemon)

1 T dried basil

2 T fat-free plain yogurt

2 tsp. grated lemon peel (1 tsp lemon peel)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, lemon juice, basil, yogurt, lemon peel, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes. Remove 1/4 cup to another small bowl; cover and refrigerate.

2. Pour the rest of the marinade into a large resealable plastic bag and add the chicken. Let the chicken marinade overnight in the fridge. 

3. Drain and discard marinade. Place chicken in a baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spoon reserved marinade over chicken. Bake, uncovered, at 375 for 20 minutes. Serves 4.